18 Rise of A New Nation

At Air Temple Island on a cliffside Bumi is chasing Bum-Ju who is flying away to a tree.

"Come back, Bum-Ju! If you don't want to wear the sweater I made you, that's fine. I'm sorry I made you mad." Bumi said, going for the tree while taking out a small pink sweater and started crawling on the tree's branch. "Bum-Ju, I'm running out of tree. Can we go down now?" Bumi asks and the branch starts to topple and breaks. "Bum-Ju! A little help!" Bumi said but Bumi starts to fall but Bum-Ju grabs hold of Bumi's jacket which comes off Bumi and he falls again for the ground and as Bumi braces himself air comes out of his palms making him stop falling. "Look, I'm Airbending!" Bumi said but the air stops making him hit the ground. "Ow, that still hurt a lot." Bumi said.

Meanwhile in a large forest of vines Korra, Kota, Jinora, and Tenzin make their way through the vine forest while passing many spirits who are following Jinora and they see many vines overgrowing many houses.

"How are we gonna clear all these vines?" Korra asked as she Firebends at the vines burning them but they come back.

"Let me try." Kota said, he took out a Kusanagi no Tsurugi that is made from platinum and cut the vines but more grew back. "You've gotta be kidding me."

"Ugh! I don't get it! I can defeat Vaatu, but not get rid of a bunch of vines?" Korra asked frustrated.

"Why is this happening now? Everything was fine a few days ago, and now a huge jungle is spreading like wildfire. It's got half the city in less than two weeks." Kota said.

"I'm sure we'll find a way." Tenzin assured.

"Why would you want to get rid of them? You changed the world. We're connected with the spirits again. The wilds are their home." Jinora said.

"Sorry to burst your bubble, kiddo, but I don't think that people, who used to live here are as excited about it as you are." Kota said as many spirits that look like small lizards with dragonfly wings nudging their heads at the earthbender. "Get off me! I'm not your parent!" Kota screamed, swatting the spirits away much to Jinora's amusement and they rested on her brother's head much to his annoyance.

"While you are right, Jinora, not many people are actually happy about this." Korra said pushing vines in her way revealing a nearly infested and deserted part of the city. "Well, I gotta go face the press and tell them I still don't have a way to get rid of the vines. This should be fun." Korra said, opening her new glider.

"Don't forget about me," Kota said, going into his Guardian Mode. He followed Korra as they approached the press.

…

At City Hall which has many spirit vines all around the press are at the entrance talking to President Raiko.

"Mr. President, are you concerned that your approval ratings are now nearly as low as the Avatars? Have you seen today's headline? It says 'Raik-oh no. Polls pan press' plans'." One of the reporters said.

"I'm not concerned with snappy put-downs in the press. I'm facing the calamity just like every citizen. There's a tree growing right through my office. You think I'm not doing everything I can to get rid of?" Raiko asked.

Just then Korra and Kota arrived next to Raiko while leaving some wind ruffling Raiko's hair much to the president's annoyance.

"Avatar Korra, Kota Beifong, few questions please." Another reporter said.

"Avatar Korra, do you regret the way you handled the Unalaq crisis?" A male reporter asked.

"Why are you forcing the integration of spirits in Republic City?" A female reporter asked.

"Listen, I've been trying everything I can think of to get rid of the vines, but…" Korra was cut off.

"Why can't you fix this?" Another male reporter asked.

"Are the vines here to stay?" Another male reporter asked.

"Is this part of your New World Order with Kota Beifong?" The female reporter asked.

"Look, Harmonic Convergence was just a couple weeks ago. I just needed a little more time to get everything back to normal." Korra said.

"The Avatar and her accomplice, former United Forces Admiral Kota Beifong have put all of us in a difficult position, but my administration…" Raiko was cut off.

"Oh, I'm sorry! Did we put you in a difficult position by fighting the giant force of pure evil that was going to destroy the whole world? Maybe your administration would have handled that!" Korra grabs Raiko's face and bobs his head up and down but Raiko frees himself from the Avatar.

"I will NOT have spirits living among humans." Raiko said.

"With all due respect Mr. President, the spirits are just as part of the world as we are." Kota argued.

"Well, we can't have vines invading our homes. Nobody is happy about the situation you've put us through. Spirits are not like us. If you want spirits to live in this, then I'd suggest you to figure out some way to make it work or I'll no choice, but to have my administration…" Raiko was cut off.

"You're gonna have your administration cut down the vines like you did before? Yeah, as if that worked out twice!" Korra snapped getting Raiko's face and they glare at each other but then Lin separates the two.

"That's it. No more questions." Lin said.

Raiki storms back to his office while Korra glares at the president before looking down at the ground.

"This is a disaster…" Korra said.

"We'll figure something out," Kota said.

"Koko's right," Asami said, she later hugged the earthbender and kissed him, "We got this…"

"Easy for you to say. You don't have my poll numbers. Eight percent approval? Who're they asking?" Korra asked.

"Don't take it to heart. People are just frustrated." Asami said.

"I don't blame them. I should be able to fix this. I'm the Avatar." Korra said.

"C'mon you're tired, let's go back home," Kota said.

…

At Air Temple Island at the courtyard Ikki and Meelo are playing with Pabu and they find Bumi running to them and he's sweating and panting.

"You're not gonna believe what just happened. Where's your father?" Bumi asked.

"DAD!" Ikki shouted, making Tenzin barge out the door looking worried.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Tenzin asked.

"The most amazing, wondrous, fantastical thing happened. Bum-Ju and I had a little fight. I made him this sweater and he didn't seem to like it and I'll admit, it might need work, but it was my fist attempt at knitting, so I was a little hurt." Bumi explained making Tenzin stare blankly.

"Hilarious. Time for dinner, everyone." Tenzin said.

"No. Hold on. I can Airbend." Bumi tried to Airbend but nothing happened. "Yeah, wait. Seriously. I was doing it." Bumi said as he kept trying to Airbend but still nothing and Ikki and Meelo are no longer excited. "No hold on. Maybe if I…" Bumi stops talking as he kicks but still nothing.

Later at the dinner table Bumi is still trying to Airbend but still nothing.

"I swear, I'm not making it up." Bumi said as he waved his arms.

"Stop waving your arms around at the table. It's not funny anymore." Tenzin said.

"It's not a joke." Bumi said.

Just then Korra, Kota, and Asami enter the dining room.

"What's up with him?" Korra askes sitting next to Bolin.

"Bumi says he Airbended earlier, but he can't now. Oh, and I guess he's not very good at knitting either. I gotta say, I LOVE being part of this family. You got the angry dad, the wacky uncle, the put-upon mom, crazy kids with the older brother that is an adult. It's great." Bolin said.

"Wait," Korra looked around, "Where's Mako?"

"He's staying at the police station." Bolin said.

"Still?" Korra asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I told him Tenzin invited us to stay here since our apartment became a vine habitat now, but he said he had to focus on work." Bolin said making his hair look like Mako's before making his hair how it is again.

"Guess a cop's work is never done." Kota said.

"Oh, you see that? I think the napkin moved." Bumi said.

"You blew on it." Kya said annoyed.

"Wait! Maybe I can only do it if I'm in danger. Bolin, bend a giant boulder at me." Bumi said.

"Yeah, I don't think that's a good idea." Bolin said.

"What about you Kota-" Bumi was cut off.

"Out of the question, Uncle Bumi," Kota said, being quick to deny his uncle.

"If you're going to be bending boulders, you can do it outside." Pema said, irritated.

"No one is bending giant boulders!" Tenzin said slamming his table.

"Look alive, Uncle Bumi!" Meelo said throwing a plate at Bumi who stretches his hands and the plate is now in a ball of air.

"I told you." Bumi said and everyone is shocked by this.

"Unbelievable. You're actually an Airbender!" Tenzin said.

"I can't believe this." Kota said.

"Wait until I tell Mom. She's gonna love this." Bumi said but he stops Airbending making the plate drop and it shatters.

It's nighttime at the police station and the phone starts to ring causing someone to hit his head under the desk revealing to be Mako who takes the phone.

"Police. He what? Slow down. Okay. I'm on my way." Mako said.

Mako arrives at a store which has broken glassware and takes a look inside to see the damage.

"What the heck did all this?" Mako asked the shopkeeper.

"It was my brother. He's out of control." The shopkeeper said.

"Okay, tell me what happened." Mako said, taking out a notepad.

"We were arguing about the books and Daw was yelling at me. And all the sudden, things started flying around. He was creating this like…" The shopkeeper stops talking.

"Like what?" Mako asked.

"Well, like he was Airbending." The shopkeeper said.

"Sir, that's impossible. There are only five Airbenders in the entire world and your brother is not one of them." Mako said.

"I know what I saw. He was freaking out yelling: 'What's happening to me?!' Then he ran into the back room and locked himself in." The shopkeeper said.

Mako goes for the back room door and knocks on it.

"Police. Open up." Mako said.

"Go away!" A voice yelled.

"Get out here, sir or I'm knocking this door down. One, two…" Mako is cut off as the door is blown to his face and knocks him against the wall revealing a man who is distraught.

"I'm so sorry!" The man said Airbending himself out of the shop.

"I told you, Airbending!" The shopkeeper said as Mako moved the door off him revealing his face now red and he looks at the shopkeeper annoyed and then sighs.

It's morning in Air Temple Island and Bumi tries to Airbend again.

"Ugh, I can't figure this thing out." Bumi said.

"How the hell is he able to Airbend? He never bended at all before." Kota said.

"Do you think being in the Spirit World during Harmonic Convergence has given him bending?" Korra asked.

"Is it possible Dad?" Kota asked.

"It might be." Tenzin said.

"Maybe Uncle Bumi is just a late bloomer." Ikki said.

"More WAY too late." Kota said.

"I have been noticing a change in your aura lately." Kya said, feeling Bumi's energy.

"And you didn't tell me?" Bumi asked.

Just then Lin and Mako arrive and approach Tenzin.

"Mom," Kota was surprised to see his mother.

"Invisible spirit monster attack?" Lin asked, seeing Bumi trying to Airbend.

"Lin, you won't believe this. Bumi just started Airbending." Tenzin said, shocking the two.

"I'm afraid he's not the only one." Lin said.

"What?" Korra asked.

"How do you know?" Kota asked.

"I got a call last night. About a guy, who just started Airbending out of nowhere." Mako said.

"Another one?" Kota asked.

"Where is he now?" Tenzin asked.

"He…blew a door down on me and got away." Mako said, rubbing the back of his head. "We got an all-points bulletin out on him right now." Mako said as they started to walk off.

"Wait, we'll help you look for him. Where should we start?" Korra asked.

"Oh, well. You should just leave it to the police. It's police business and official." Mako said.

"Ehh, shit," Kota said, face palming.

"Okay. Well, how are you doing? You know you can stay here instead of sleeping at the police station." Korra said.

"It's okay. I should get going now. So, as you were, ladies. Kota." Mako said saluting and walking off and Korra and Asami looked at each other while Kota facepalms again.

…

Kota, Korra, and Asami go for Asami's Satomobile.

"This is so exciting. New Airbenders in the city. I bet we can find that guy before Mako does." Korra said.

"It's a matter of WHERE he is, since this city's turned into half jungle." Kota said.

Asami throws keys at Korra who catches them.

"You know I'm not good at this." Korra said.

"You're the Avatar, master of all four elements. You should know how to drive. Besides, it's relaxing." Asami said.

"We're dead." Kota said.

Korra is trying to drive, making Asami distressed while Kota is sitting in the backseat.

"Clutch! Clutch!" Asami said and Korra jerks and brakes the car while a car stops behind them. "That's the brake. Let's try again. You ready?" Asami asks and Korra salutes copying Mako and the two laugh while Kota is starting to get annoyed.

"So, since you two decided to keep your relationship at an end, how long do you think talking to Mako is gonna be like pulling teeth?" Kota asked.

"You got me. I tried talking to him, but he's been busy for two weeks." Korra said, starting the engine.

"Mako has never been the most…'in touch with his feelings' guy." Asami said.

"Yeah, I figured that when we first met. He'll get over it soon." Kota said.

"Yeah." Korra said.

"So, first Uncle Bumi is able to Airbend and now some other random guy is able to Airbend? Does that mean there are gonna be more Airbenders around?" Kota asked.

"It's possible." Korra said.

"Hmm, I think why Uncle is able to Airbend is possibly because of the effects of Harmonic Convergence and now new Airbenders are popping up like weeds. Harmonic Convergence does cause a change to the planet's energy." Kota said.

"That's true. It's the only logical explanation at this point." Korra said.

"I don't see any other explanation." Asami said and just then she saw something. "Vine! Vine!" Asami said and Korra slams the brakes and swerves the car missing a vine in the middle of the road.

"Great. More vines. Just what we need." Kota said bluntly and just then a hedgehog like plant spirit appears.

"Watch where you're going." The hedgehog plant spirit said.

"What are you doing living in the middle of the road in the first place?!" Korra asked annoyed.

"Don't ask me, Avatar. You made the world this way; we're just living in it." The hedgehog plant spirit said.

"Look, I don't have anything against spirits, but these vines are causing major problems all over the city." Korra said.

"Spirits, vines. We're all the same. Seems like the Avatar would know that." The hedgehog plant spirit said walking away.

"Korra, what's wrong?" Asami asked.

"I think that spirit gave me an idea on how to get rid of these vines." Korra said.

"I'm gonna go back to the Island," Kota said, "Based on what's happening, you can take care of yourself."

Kota later transformed into his Guardian Mode and flew off.

…

At Air Temple Island outside Tenzin is meditating before the statue of Aang at Aang Memorial Island.

"It's like a dream come true, Dad. After a hundred and seventy years, new Airbenders." Tenzin said.

Just then Jinora, Ikki, and Meelo come to their father.

"Dad. When that new guy's Airbending, does that make him our new brother?" Ikki asked.

"Well, in a way, all Airbenders are our family." Tenzin said.

"Does that mean I have to share my room? Because I LIKE my personal space." Ikki said.

"Of course not. We might have to get used to not being the only Airbenders around anymore." Tenzin said.

"I hope we have enough for an army! I wanna be Commander, just like Uncle Bumi." Meelo said.

"Air Nomads don't have armies, Meelo." Jinora said.

"But maybe, there will be enough to fill the temples again." Tenzin said as tears flowed from his eyes.

"What's wrong, Daddy?" Jinora asked.

"I just wish your grandfather was here to see this." Tenzin said.

"Will you be Airbender President?" Meelo asked.

"No, but I think the new Airbenders will need lots of help and guidance to understand what it means to be part of our nation. That's a big responsibility." Tenzin said.

"Don't worry, Dad. We'll help you." Meelo said as the siblings hugged their father.

"I know you will," Tenzin said.

"Well, well, well."

Tenzin and the kids looked and saw Kota standing there with a smirk and his arms crossed.

"Looks like you guys are gonna have a nation to rebuild," Kota said, he later walked towards the statue.

"Sometimes I wish I was an Airbender," Kota said with a sigh. He then later looked to his father and siblings, "But like you said Dad, we can't ALWAYS get what we want."

Tenzin smiled at his older son as the younger kids ran to hug their older brother who fell onto the ground.

…

At a building overlooking a bridge with spirit vines Korra, Lin, and Bolin are standing on the bridge and Raiko and a small group of reporters arrive.

"I hope this works." Korra said.

Korra later and everyone turns to see Raiko and the press.

"What are you guys doing here?" Korra asked, annoyed.

"I was alerted that the Avatar had a new plan to wipe out those noxious weeds. I thought you'd want everyone to be here to watch." Raiko said.

"Avatar Korra, do you…" One of the reporters was cut off.

"No questions!" Korra snapped.

Korra goes for the vines and enters the Avatar State and starts bending water around the vines and begins infusing positive spirit energy to the water making them glow gold and the vines start to disappear and Korra stops bending.

"Go in peace." Korra said bowing and the crowd claps.

"How did you know what to do?" One of the reporters asked.

"Will you send the spirits away now?" Another reporter asked.

"How soon can we expect public water service to resume?" Another reporter aske

Just then a loud splash is heard and the vines grow back and become more denser and start to inundate the opposite block and a boy standing by the window recoils in shock at the state of the growth and the weight of the vine causes the building to tilt for the bridge.

"Look out!" Korra said, grabbing her glider as the reporters ran off.

The guards escort Raiko away while Bolin and Lin bend a rock pillar to stop the building from toppling and Korra barges open the door and sees worried people.

"Let's go, people! Hurry." Korra said.

As people run out, Korra opens her glider and flies for the window where the boy is trapped and reaches out to grab the boy.

"Hang on." Korra said as she flies off with the boy and lands on the ground and then stops the tip of the building with her Airbending and strains herself and lets the tip land softly.

"I think that could've gone better." Bolin said.

…

It's now evening and Korra is meditating in a pavilion and Kota finds her and walks up to her.

"Can't talk. Meditating." Korra said with her eyes still closed and not looking at the son of Lin and Tenzin.

"Someone's at the end of her rope. You hate meditating." Kota said and Korra stops meditating.

"I thought if I really tried, I might be able to contact my past Avatars, someone, who knows something to help me, but I can't. They're gone." Korra said and Kota walks to the Avatar and sits next to her. "Kota, did I ruin everything by leaving the portals open?" Korra asked.

"You didn't ruin anything. You did what you thought was best for the world and now things have changed. Change can be difficult to accept and can also be good or bad, depending on your point of view." Kota said.

"I already know the people's point of view. It's bad." Korra said.

"Korra, you're not the president." Kota said.

"Yeah, no kidding." Korra said.

"Korra, I know things are hard now, but you'll get through it in the end. You always do." Kota said.

"I've tried everything I could think of to get rid of the vines, but now I'm stumped. Some Avatar I've turned out to be." Korra said.

"You're a good Avatar. Your job isn't to fix the daily problems of every person in Republic City. Your responsibility is to bring balance to the entire world. No matter what you do, not many people are gonna be happy about it." Kota said.

"Right." Korra said.

"On the other hand, some people will be very happy, like me." A voice said and they turned to see Tenzin. "What you did during Harmonic Convergence may have brought back the Air Nation, and that can only be good for restoring balance. That is the act of a great Avatar." Tenzin said.

"I have all this power and all these people depending on me, but I don't know what I am supposed to be doing half the time. It seems like I should be…wiser." Korra said.

"True wisdom begins when we accept things as they are." Tenzin said.

"Korra, you started a new age and there's no going back to the past." Kota said.

Just then Bolin arrives.

"Mako called. The cops found a new Airbender guy, but when they tried to bring him in, he ran away and climbed to the top of Kyoshi Bridge and won't come down." Bolin said. "Ooh, sorry, did I interrupt an Avatar wisdom session?" Bolin asked.

"Avatar wisdom is the thing of the past, Bolin." Korra said walking past the Earthbender.

"Okay, is that good?" Bolin asked.

"Depends who you ask." Kota said, running past Bolin.

Oogi and Shorty flew over to Kyoshi Bridge. Korra and Tenzin get off Oogi while Kota gets off Shorty. They walked down the bridge to fine Lin and Mako.

"Come down immediately or we will be forced to take action." Lin said through a megaphone as the man from before chitters and trembles while holding onto the bridge.

Metal cops approach the man and get into fighting stances.

"Stay back! I'm dangerous!" The man said but a metal cop bends a cable but the man Airbends knocking off the metal cops. "Sorry!" The man said.

Korra flies on her glider while Kota gets on the top of the bridge.

"Don't panic. We're here to talk." Korra said.

"Please, I don't know what I'm doing and I don't wanna hurt anyone." The man said.

"Tell me about it. Rough day, huh? I'm kinda having a rough day myself. Mind we sit down?" Korra asked.

"Look, it's okay to be scared. You've just gone through a big change." Kota said.

"And it's kinda my fault. You're not alone, though. There are other Airbenders and they wanna help you. They're excited to meet you." Korra said.

"I don't wanna be an Airbender. Please, you're the Avatar, make it stop." The man said nearly falling off the bridge.

"I'm sorry. I can't, but I promise you things will get better if you just give it a chance. Let me take you over to Air Temple Island and we can talk this through." Korra offers her hand and the man but then he loses his footing and falls.

Korra dives down while opening her glider and saves the man making the crowd cheer and Kota lands next to the two.

"Daw, this is my father Tenzin. He's going to help you." Kota said.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Daw. I have never met a new Airbender before. Well, at least not one, whose diaper I didn't have to change." Tenzin said.

"Actually, I just fell off a bridge so I could use a fresh diaper right about now." Daw said, making Tenzin raise an eyebrow.

"So, is this the deal?" A voice asks and they see Raiko approaching them. "We have a crisis every other day now thanks to you and Kota Beifong." Raiko said.

"Listen, I know you're having a tough time getting used to these changes and I'm sorry for that, but YOU and everyone else are going to have to learn to live with it. The vines and the spirits are here to stay." Korra said.

"Well, you know who's not here to stay, you! I order you to leave this city. You've caused nothing but trouble since you arrived. The same goes for you, Beifong! Just like the Avatar, you're nothing but trouble, I also order you to leave the city and never return!" Raiko said as the crowd gasped, Lin and Tenzin's eyes were wide as they heard the President ask their son to leave with the Avatar.

"Fine, you don't have to worry about us 'causing trouble' anymore." Kota said.

"We were just leaving anyway." Korra said as they walked away from Raiko. "I can see my path now. There are new Airbenders out there and I'm going to find them and rebuild the Air Nation." Korra said.

"Don't think I'm not going with you. It's so exciting. Who knows who's out there now, discovering the gift of Airbending for the first time." Tenzin said.

"Count me in too. I'm looking forward to finding more Airbenders and meeting new ones." Kota said.

"Then it's settled. We know what our new mission is." Korra said smiling and Kota and Tenzin nod.

…

Meanwhile at a mountainous region a retractable bridge extends and several White Lotus sentries walk for the building and the bridge retracts while they take fighting stances and a sentry Metalbends an octagonal door open revealing an octagonal prison cell and in it is a middle-aged man with long grey hair and grey beard sitting in a calm composure.

"You know the drill, Zaheer." One of the White Lotus sentries said.

"Of course." The man named Zaheer said.

"Hope you still like rice." The White Lotus sentry said giving out a bowl of rice.

"Have you ever read the poetry of the great Airbending guru, Laghima?" Zaheer asked.

"What?" The White Lotus sentry asked confused.

"Guru Laghima lived four-thousand years ago in the Northern Air Temple. It is said that he unlocked the secret of weightlessness and became untethered from the earth, living his final forty years without ever touching the ground." Zaheer said.

"Is that how you plan to escape? With something you picked up from an old Airbender children's story?" The White Lotus sentry asked mockingly.

"Like all great children's tales, it contains truth within the myth. Laghima once wrote: 'Instinct is a lie, told by a fearful body, hoping to be wrong'." Zaheer said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" The White Lotus sentry asked.

"It means that when you base your expectations only on what you see, you blind yourself to the possibilities of a new reality." Zaheer said as he Airbends slamming the sentry against the bars and then turns the sentry's body and grabs him by his neck and the other sentries prepare to attack. "Uh, uh, uh. You wouldn't want to singe your friend, would you?" Zaheer asked.

"How…? Y-You're not a bender!" The first sentry said.

"Nature is constantly changing, like the wind." Zaheer said as he pulls the keys off the sentry and unlocks the door while Airbending and slamming the sentry against the wall while sliding out of his cell while avoiding the other sentries' attacks and Airbends the other sentries off their feet while leaping and grabbing the Firebender sentry and throws him into the cell while avoiding an Earthbending attack by leaping off an earth wall avoiding more fire blasts and Airbends the next sentry into the cell but more elements go for Zaheer who climbs up the wall and Airbends them off their feet sending them to the cell and locks the cell door. "Now you might want to ration that bowl of rice. You've three weeks until the next shift change. It's the dawning of a new age. The end of the White Lotus and soon, the end of the Avatar." Zaheer said as he went for the cliff and leapt down using Airbending and left the mountain region.